Flying from Perth to Bangkok, Thailand on December 5. Myself and 3 friends will head down to Koh Phangan to attend the infamous full moon party on December 6. We're then spending a few days chilling out at the islands down in the south of Thailand.

After that, we hit Bangkok and will check that out, and travel on some day trips from there (i.e. Bridge on the River Kwai).

Then, we head up north to Chang Mai, where we get to ride elephants! (I'm most excited about this). We'll do some jungle trekking, and stay in some random villages up there, meet some local people hopefully.

Just before Christmas, two of my friends head on home to spend Christmas and New Years with their families before they start work in January.

BUT, My other friend (Danielle) and I will carry on and spend a few days travelling up through Laos to the north of Vietnam (Hanoi). We will then spend around two weeks making our way south along the coastal towns of Vietnam.

We hit Ho Chi Minh City, where we will stay for six weeks. It's an elective term for uni, we will be spending the time studying/working at the Children's Hospital. It's going to be a really great experience.

After that, in late February, we head across to Cambodia for a few days, then over to Bangkok to fly home.

Get back home March 1.

On another angle, I reckon I'll even lose some weight - we're planning a lot of walking and trekking (so I'll have motivation to get my fitness up at the gym before we go) and we won't be eating that much, and it will be lots of vegetables and noodles and things.. so I'll see how I go!

Mandie that sounds fantastic!! I reckon you'd be coming back quite a bit smaller than when you head over alright!! Good on you for going, I reckon you will learn a lot!!! Sounds like you certainly have a compact and full itinerary there mate. We will miss you

thats wonderful mandie. what a wonderful opportunity. you will ahve a ball. wish i couldve travelled more before i started my fmaily but i will when heidi is older. ive been to africa and backpacked, hiked everywhere a few weeks was spent on safari and a few weeks were spent in remote villages. its wonderful meeting people

i came back and had lost so much weight. my family didnt recognise me at the airport when i went up to them haha. so funny. with the heat over there (and in asia) you sweat all the time so make sure you take lots of socks! and underwear). plus we jsut lived on carbs- breads, pasta and fruit that we had to peel. plus we drank water or soft drink.